


Life in Progress....

by in_motu_proprio



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alcohol Abuse, Alcoholism, Child Abuse, F/M, Family, Feelings, Flashback, Kidfic, M/M, Non Cannon Compliant, Non-DH Compliant, RST, Sickness, Smut, Snark, Swearing, UST, cursing, parent's death, snupin - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-11
Updated: 2014-06-11
Packaged: 2018-02-04 05:56:09
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 9
Words: 14,864
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1767970
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/in_motu_proprio/pseuds/in_motu_proprio
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Severus has survived the bite in The Shack and has, essentially, become a hermit running his own owl-order potions business.  He ends up being so successful at it that he needs to hire an assistant.  Enter Remus Lupin… cue snark, drama, fun, angst, smut.</p><p>Clearly this is non Deathly Hallows compliant.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Dunderheads, idiots, or those with sensitive dispositions need not apply.

**Author's Note:**

> The characters are not mine. They are the intellectual property of J.K. Rowling and whomever she sold them to. (The WB, Scholastic, et al.)

On the other side of the war, 'always' seemed much different. He'd done what he promised, he'd kept the Potter child safe. Suddenly, he was thirty-eight and hadn't a clue what to do with the rest of his years. Mindless devotion was simple when you didn't know if you'd make it through tomorrow. Now, though, Severus was more than a little shell shocked and painfully bored. He'd been exonerated thanks to Lily's brat, and even offered his job back. Once he got done laughing, he thanked Minerva and left. 

As it was, Spiner's End was in shambles even before the war. He'd found a muggle real estate agent to sell it once he'd cleaned out the few things he wanted. Between that money and what he'd saved while he was a teacher, Severus was financially okay. 

He wanted nothing to do with people, so Severus moved to a remote peninsula in the south. He had a grand total of four neighbors, all of which were magical, all of which also hated people. In short, it was an ideal place for Severus to spend the rest of 'always' running his owl-order apothecary. 

In two months, he had enough staples brewed. In eight, he had a decent business going. By the time he'd been in business thirteen months, he needed to hire an assistant. He was loathe to do it, but it was either hire someone or end up killing his business because of wait time for brews. After careful consideration, Severus submitted an advertisement to _The Daily Prophet_ :

_Needed:_

_One potions lab assistant. Must be educated, quiet, and in possession of an excellent work ethic. Dunderheads, idiots, or those with sensitive dispositions need not apply. Room and board provided as a part of the compensation package._

He received a variety of responses. All of them wound up in the fire, however. One couldn't correctly spell potions, and another looked as though it had been written by a drunken hippogriff. Severus was beginning to lose hope until he got a truly excellent CV by owl. The individual had experience working with magical beasts, they'd earned an O on their O.W.L.s in potions and had passed a NEWT level course in it as well. They'd even included a quite passable Draught of the Living Dead. The only thing that they didn't include was a name. That was a curious thing, but Severus couldn't be picky at this moment. He was up to his eyeballs with back orders, so he decided to owl the applicant and invite them out for an interview.

*************************

Two days passed and Severus found himself further and further behind. He was more than a little harried when he heard the knock at his door and nearly sprinted out of the lab and upstairs. Catching a glimpse of himself in the mirror proved simply frightful. His robes were terribly rumpled and it looked as though he hadn't slept in a week. He was glad that at least the robes were black and didn't really show stains because besides not being able to sleep this past week, he also hadn't had time to do the laundry. Then there was his bloody hair. If he'd hated it before he was attacked by that bloody snake, now he despised it even more. They'd had to hack it all off when he was recovering. Severus' hair grew very, very slowly and it was currently down to his chin, finally nearing the length it had been. It stuck out wildly in the back, the texture having changed as well.

His hand closed on the knob and turned while his other hand gripped his wand behind the door. Some habits simply didn't die, after all. He pulled the door open and nearly dropped his wand in surprise. 

"What the hell are you doing here?"

Remus Lupin looked up, catching Severus' totally appalled, confused look. "I'm here for an interview." His own eyes betrayed the shock, though he managed to hide it on his face. He couldn't believe that, out of all the jobs in this country that he'd applied for, that Severus Snape was the _only_ person who would have him out for an interview. Remus reminded himself that if he'd included his name on his CV that he wouldn't even have this interview.

"Of course you are," Severus said sarcastically, eyeing Remus as he tried to remember what phase the moon was in today.

"It's waning, Severus. I'm harmless."

"I doubt that very much, Lupin." Severus stepped back to let Lupin through, surprising himself. The man wasn't as gaunt as he'd been most of the time Severus had known him. _He must have been living with someone who made a decent wage,_ Severus thought. Lupin stepped through, giving Snape a tiny smile. At least Severus hadn't slammed the door in his face. That was a big step.

"The lab is this way," Severus told the other man, turning with a whoosh of fabric. Remus wondered if Snape knew that he had a huge burn near the hem of his robes. Remus wisely kept his mouth shut and followed Snape downstairs. It was warmer down there and Remus silently thanked God that Severus was a bloody bat and would never have a lab in a sunny spot. He couldn't even imagine how hot that would get. 

Severus snapped in front of Remus' nose, clearly frustrated. "If you hope to get a job, it is always to your benefit to pay attention, Lupin. Now I know that it wasn't just discrimination that kept you unemployed." Remus silently steamed as Severus showed him around. "Your Draught of the Living Dead wasn't horrid," Severus informed him. 

"That's quite a compliment coming from you." 

"Don't get used to it. Now you have three hours to brew these three potions." He tapped one long, yellowed finger at the list by the work station. "They will be tested and if you do a passable job, we may discuss employment." 

Severus took a seat across the room, legs crossed at the knee, and watched Remus. "Clock's ticking, wolf."

*************************

He'd never been watched like that while he worked. Remus found it totally disconcerting that Severus' black eyes seemed to gobble down everything he did. He was being graded, so Remus made sure to dot every i and cross every t. After all that time teaching children, Severus eye was, no doubt, quite keen. Once he was done, Remus decanted the potions for inspection. Severus considered the viscosity, the color, and Remus was sure that his boney pinkie was going to be dipping into them to taste test next.

Severus was trying very hard to find something wrong with Remus' work. There was a problem, though. There was nothing wrong with his work. Part of him had been hoping for a complete catastrophe. As it hadn't happened, the business part of Severus' mind was actually pleased. Lupin was capable. 

The werewolf said nothing, just watched Severus examine his work. When the man's black eyes finally glanced up, all Remus got was a slight nod that pushed Severus' hair right in his eyes. That was enough for Remus, though.

"Package them and bring them upstairs." He turned and ascended the stairs to the kitchen to make some tea. He really didn't want Lupin around every day. He didn't need a constant reminder of that part of his life working next to him day after day. He was capable, though, and Severus needed someone. If he'd been substandard in any way, Severus would have turned him out without a second thought. As it stood, though, Severus needed the help. 

He set out the tea and cups on his scrubbed wooden table, still thinking. The house was old, but everything in it had been well-kept. A great deal of its contents had been left behind by the previous owner, and Severus had used most of it. He'd not taken a great deal from Spinner's End as, again, he hadn't wanted to be reminded of that past. He heard Remus clomping up the stairs and quickly made his final decision.

"The owls live in the shed," Severus said with a nod toward the yard. Without a word, Lupin headed out to send the packages off, not taking a moment too long in Severus' opinion. He knew he'd done well and was quite proud that _Snape_ thought he'd done well. 

"Wash your hands, then come sit down," Severus told Remus as he walked back in. Severus took his seat, carefully preparing his tea as Lupin slammed around by the sink. "You'll have to be a bit less thuggish if you're to stay, Lupin." 

Remus kept his back to Severus, but smiled. He had gotten the job. Despite their history, despite his being a werewolf, he'd been good enough to get the job! Smoothing out his face, Remus came and sat, preparing his tea as he thought. "I could work on it." 

"As the ad said, room and board are included, however you will..."

"I already have a place lined up for the moon," Remus replied, cutting Severus off. The dark man simply nodded. 

"The pay is a percentage of what is successfully brewed," Severus informed him as he took a sip of his tea. 

"Ten percent of what I sell them for," Severus told Remus as he passed over a book with prices. Remus took a moment to look them over, nodding as he went. 

"I would begin things with the more basic brews," he told Remus. "If you prove yourself, there may be opportunities for you to get involved with more complicated potions. Also, any equipment that is ruined comes from your wages. I provide that, of course, and ingredients." The wolf was still nodding, so Severus continued. "I will check everything you brew, of course, so you will have to allow for a little extra." 

Remus nodded, finally looking up. "Twenty percent," was all he said.

"Twenty! I assume all the cost, all the risk, what makes you worth twenty percent?!" 

Without even the tiniest ounce of modesty, Remus answered: "Because I'm good and because you're stuck. I saw all the orders you have piled up down there. You are in desperate need of an assistant."

"Fifteen"

"Seventeen," Remus answered coolly, trying not to be amused at Severus' slightly reddened cheeks. 

"Sixteen." 

"Sixteen and my monthly potion," Remus nodded. "With six month reviews and raises based on performance." 

"You think you're going to be here for longer than six months," Severus asked a bit wickedly. The Wolfsbane was a given. He wouldn’t be around the man if he weren’t brewing it himself. 

"I think so," Remus nodded. The dark man simply shrugged. "The room…" Remus asked, trailing off. Severus stood, his back cracking loudly. 

"Come on, then," Severus snapped as Lupin was still in his chair. Idiot, he thought. Severus took him through the house. The whole cellar was the lab and storage. On the first floor was the kitchen, sitting room, a bathroom, and Severus' den, not to mention a huge back porch and tons of space around the house. Remus really liked that he could see the water from any window in this house. The second floor had two smaller bedrooms and a master bedroom as well as a bathroom to share between all three rooms.

"You can have either," Severus said. They both had the basics from the prior owners. There was a bed, dresser, desk, and chair, and Severus honestly couldn't remember having gone into those rooms. The cellar had been the selling point for him. 

"What about both," Remus asked as he looked at Severus. 

"Why in the world would you need both," Severus asked, his brows knitted deeply.

This was the make it or break it point, Remus thought. "Because I have a five year old son." He was sure that he was about to be chucked out on his ass and mentally prepared himself. He could see the thoughts rolling around behind Severus' eyes. It worried him a bit that he was so quiet all of a sudden. Severus knew Tonks and Lupin had been married, he was pretty sure of that. Most people didn't know about Teddy, though. 

"He's a good k...."

"Spare me the 'he's such a good boy' speech, Lupin. So long as he stays out from under foot and doesn't disrupt your work, he may stay. Just keep him away from me. I hate children."


	2. We Talked About This

The moment Lupin left with promises to gather his child and his things, Severus regretted it. How in the world was he going to be able to concentrate with a brat around? Not to mention the fact that Remus’ alter-ego had once tried to **EAT** him! 

He sat alone at the dinner table, slowly chewing a bit of slightly too old roast. Usually he brought a book to dinner, but he was far too exhausted, not to mention distracted, to concentrate on reading. It was almost half ten anyway. He’d gotten behind on his work today, well even further behind than he was. Tomorrow Lupin would come back and bring his spawn. He didn’t have time for a child underfoot. He needed an unencumbered assistant. 

“Stupid,” he chastised himself as he scraped the plate off into the bin. He still needed to fill about ten more orders tonight, but he could barely keep his eyes open. The state of his house right now bothered Severus. There were books out of place, a tea cup by his chair in the living room, and the horror that was his bedroom was better off not even being discussed.

Severus tried not to look at the four robes thrown over the chair or the laundry basket that was currently spilling its contents over the floor in the corner. He just walked past a crumpled _Daily Prophet_ right to his bed, stripping down as he went. He’d have time to clean up later, he told himself. It wasn’t as though anyone came in here anyway. He’d clean up the rest of the house tomorrow morning before Lupin and his brat showed up. Falling onto his back, in his undershirt and boxers, Severus passed out directly in the center of the bed. It was pretty much the only clean spot in the room anyway. He’d been so bloody tired he hadn’t even reset the charm on his clock before he drifted off. 

When next he opened his eyes, it was full daylight and someone was knocking at his door. Severus jumped up, glancing at the clock. “Fuck.” It was nearly one! He could not remember having slept this late in his life, and to do it today…. Well, it was just his luck, really. He grabbed a pair of pants and hurried down the stairs as he hopped into them.

Severus wouldn’t have been so quick to whip open the door if he’d known that he still had a crease on his cheek from the pillow case or that his hair stood out at the strangest angles. Then there was the fact that the sunken-in, still totally discolored remainders of his snakebite were quite clearly visible. 

“Severus,” Remus greeted the man with a look of concern immediately falling over his face. 

“Lupin,” He returned as a gust of early spring air ruffled his hair and made gooseflesh rise on his bare arms. 

“Um….” Remus stood there with his trunks, a young orange-haired boy sitting on the furthest one in the back, pouting. It finally registered with Severus what was going on. It was moving day.

“Well, get in then. It’s cold outside.” Severus drew his wand from his pocket and started apperating trunks upstairs. The last one was the one with the child seated on it. “Boy,” he called, getting no response.

“Teddy,” Remus called, getting the boy to look up. “Severus would like to put that away for us. Please stand up.” The child followed directions, but didn’t speak or even look at his father. Severus got rid of the trunk and ushered them inside, trying to ignore how the boy’s hair flashed at him. 

“Got his mother’s gift, then,” Severus asked.

“He does.” Remus looked a little tight at the mention of Tonks, but otherwise showed no feelings on the matter. “Severus, this is Teddy. Teddy, this is Severus. He’s the man I will be working for.” Teddy looked up and shrugged then went back to looking out the window. 

“He misses his grandmother,” Remus informed Severus. “We’ve been living with Andromeda,” he continued. “They’re very close.”

Severus didn’t really care, but he attempted to be polite and simply nodded. So that was where Lupin had been staying. It figured. Andromeda had lost everyone, but she still had Teddy, and if putting up with a half-breed under her roof was what she had to do to get close to him, she’d do it. She might have loved Ted Tonks, but Andromeda was still a Black deep down. 

“What’s that,” Teddy asked his father, pointing at Severus’ very apparent Dark Mark.

“It’s impolite to point,” Remus reminded his son, not entirely sure how to explain the Mark.

“A tattoo, surely he’s seen one,” Severus snapped as he grabbed for his traveling robes near the door and yanked them on. He wanted no part of discussing that era of his life with anyone, let alone a child. 

_Great start,_ , Remus thought as he shooed Teddy upstairs. “We’ll just unpack,” a very embarrassed Remus told Snape. He wanted to sink through the floor boards in mortification. The first thing that Teddy had thought to say to him had been about his bloody Mark? _Good going, kid,_ Remus thought as he put a hand on his son’s shoulder and guided him to the stairs.

“Yes, well don’t get too comfortable,” Severus told Lupin. He watched them head upstairs and realized that he would have to follow. He needed to change. 

“Damn.”

*************************

“We’ll visit your grandmother soon. I promise, Teddy.”

Severus didn’t mean to overhear, but old habits died hard. Besides, he was an intensely curious man. He simply went about changing into clothes suitable for brewing, but did it quietly enough that he could still eavesdrop.

“I don’t want to live here. It smells weird,” Teddy whined. “I want to go back to grandma’s!” The boy’s voice nearly shrieked at the last word, and Severus decided that if that kept up, he would summarily dismiss Lupin. He valued his peace and quiet even above a successful business. 

“Teddy, we talked about this.” It was clear that Lupin was getting annoyed, and yet he didn’t raise his voice. Interesting. 

“I don’t care,” Teddy shouted back. “I want my room and my cat and **MY HOUSE**!” He heard a body hit the floor and could only assume that either Remus had had it and killed the child or that he was about to have a full blown tantrum. It wasn’t until Severus suddenly heard nothing, though, that he realized the man had put up a silencing charm. 

_Smart_ , he thought as he fastened the last button on a moderately clean set of brewing robes. _Keep it that way and I might not fire you out of hand_. Without another thought, he headed down to the lab knowing it was going to be a tremendously long day.

*************************

When Lupin finally made it down to the lab, sans appendage, Severus noted the time. It had been nearly two hours. What in the world did he have to unpack that took two hours, or had it all been devoted to the brat?

“Your list is there,” Severus told him, pointing a long finger in the direction of a small station in the corner that Severus used for his more mundane potions. 

“Thanks.” Lupin looked beleaguered and exhausted. He wondered if the boy had been tantruming the whole time he’d been up there. They didn’t speak for the next two hours and it was actually Teddy who broke the silence. 

“Daddy,” he said as he slowly walked across the room to Remus. “I’m sorry.” Severus watched Lupin kneel down and forgive his son with a hug. He nearly spun around when Remus caught him watching the exchange, embarrassed that he’d gotten caught. 

“I understand how sad you are, Teddy, but this is where we live now.” Remus ran a hand through his son’s hair, giving him a soft smile that nearly made a person forget about the scars on his face.

The boy nodded, though he was clearly not convinced. “I’m hungry.” Severus glanced at the clock and saw that it was nearly six. His own stomach was growling and he realized that he hadn’t eaten since last night. Damn. 

“Ok. Severus,” Remus said softly. “Do you mind if I take a dinner break now?” 

Severus just waved a flippant hand at the man, not looking up from his work. He listened as the two Lupins walked up the stairs and into the kitchen. He listened as Remus told Teddy what he’d been working on and then to the boy ask Remus a million questions. He listened as they clanged and banged their way through making dinner, but he wasn’t one hundred percent sure **why** he was listening. 

The smells started to waft down and it wasn’t until his stomach actually began to hurt that the decided it was time to give up and go eat something. After wrapping things up to a good stopping point, he headed upstairs to find Teddy and Remus doing dishes the muggle way. “There’s a plate in the oven for you,” Remus told Severus with a slight smile.

Severus expected to throw something together as usual. Never had he thought the man would include him in his dinner plans. It was disconcerting. 

“Thank you.” It felt strange to say, but he was thankful as he sat down to the first meal in over a year that hadn’t just been bits and bobs thrown together on a plate and called food. He had to admit that it was actually really nice.

“I made the green beans,” Teddy informed Severus as he walked over from the sink to sit at the table with him.

“Yes, well, thank you,” Severus told him, not quite sure why the child was speaking to him. 

“Are they good?” the boy asked expectantly. Severus caught the look Remus shot him and simply nodded. Teddy grinned at him, watching Severus eat his creation. It was more than a bit strange and he was terribly grateful to Lupin when he told Teddy it was time for a bath.

“I should be back down in about an hour,” Remus told Severus as he ushered Teddy from the room. Lupin was going to be up brewing all night at this rate. Children certainly took up a great deal of time.


	3. ... Worth a Thousand Words

“Thank you.” It drifted down from the top of the stairs and into the lab. Severus looked up to see Remus watching him from above, lit up from the kitchen light behind him. It made his features a bit softer, nearly glowing around the edges like some werewolf Madonna. It amused Severus greatly. 

“Whatever for,” he asked as he turned his attention back to his work.

“For being kind to him.”

“I was not being kind,” Severus countered. “I was being honest. The green beans were fine.”

Remus simply nodded as he descended the stairs. Both men went to work and didn’t speak for well over an hour until Severus finally broke the silence, unable to keep his question from slipping out of his mouth.

“How do you know that he isn’t killing himself up there,” he finally asked. “I mean God only knows what he’s doing.” 

Remus reached into his robes, pulling out a very plain looking charm on a long gold chain.

“I always know if he’s safe,” Remus told Severus. “It changes temperatures.” He walked over to Severus, offering him the charm to touch. His curiosity, once again, got the better of him and Severus reached out to touch the impossibly cool charm, looking up at Remus in surprise. It had been inside his robes, it should be the temperature of his skin. It was quite powerful magic. He was surprised that Albus hadn’t just used one for Harry. That would have been a great deal easier.

“It’s an heirloom,” Remus informed Severus. “Andromeda gave it to me. Apparently it works for anyone with Black blood, as long as the person is more than one-thirty second Black.” He pulled the charm back gently, just faintly touching Severus’ fingers with his own. “I didn’t know that you had Black blood, Severus.”

He looked up, jerking his head. His blood was something that Severus never openly spoke of. “Generations back,” he informed Remus as he went back to his work, trying to ignore him as best he could.

**************************

“I think I’m going to bed, Severus.” He had to say it three times, getting closer each time. Finally, when he gently put his hand on the man’s shoulder, he got his attention. “I’m going to bed.”

Severus looked up at Remus, a bit bleary despite the fact that he’d gotten up so late. “As you wish, Lupin.” It was his salary after all. He looked back to his own work and sighed. He had so much to do, but a very limited time to get it done in. He heard Lupin retreat quickly up the first flight of steps and then took the next flight a touch slower. Severus refocused on his work, ignoring the clank of pipes as the water kicked in for Remus’ shower.

He tended to lose track of time down here, and it wasn’t until he heard a small, tired voice that he even looked up. 

“Whatcha doin’?” Teddy was standing next to him on his tiptoes, trying to see what it was that Severus was working on.

“You should be in bed,” Severus chastised.

“I woke up. Whatcha doin’?” 

“I am brewing a potion,” Severus told the boy with a sigh.

“I know that,” the nearly six year old said as he looked more closely into the cauldron. “What kind of potion?”

“One for very naughty children who get out of bed and bother me. It melts their bums to beds.” 

“There isn’t a potion for that,” Teddy said with a laugh. Of course the boy was right, but Severus immediately considered brewing one. 

He was surprised that the boy had called him on it, though. “Fine, it’s for very bad lung infections. There’s a man in North London with one and his wife’s requested it.” 

“What happened to him,” Teddy asked, clearly concerned for the man. The boy was in a rumpled but new set of Falmouth Falcons pajamas and his multi colored hair stuck up in almost a Mohawk. If Severus had liked children, he would have said it was cute. 

“He’s very old and it happens sometimes.”

“Can I help,” Teddy asked, looking eagerly at some slugs crawling around in a jar.

“Certianly not,” Severus said. “You must go to bed. It’s very late.” 

“No it’s not,” Teddy informed him. “It’s very early. The sun’s up.” 

“Is it?” Severus asked, utterly shocked. It wouldn’t be the first time he’d worked through the night, but he didn’t feel as though it had been that long.

“Yup, and daddy’s tired so I came to see you.” Teddy turned around to look at the lab. “What’s that?” 

“Scale,” Severus informed him, turning his back to his potion. So long as the boy didn’t muck anything up, Severus didn’t much mind him down here. He wasn’t crying, screaming, or shitting himself, so all was well for the moment.

“What’s that?”

Severus looked up. “Fairy wings.” He went back to brewing, only looking up when Teddy asked his questions. The boy moved his eyes around the room, carefully asking what item after item was, clearly storing it away in his mind for later use. 

“I’m hungry,” Teddy informed Severus, giving his robes a little tug.

“I fail to see how that effects me.” The boy’s face fell and Severus sighed. He was a bit hungry himself. “Fine, we’ll eat.” 

Teddy smiled at him and bounded up the stairs to the kitchen. “Can we make pancakes?” 

Severus wrinkled his nose. “I don’t cook.” 

“I can show you,” the boy said with an enthusiastic bounce on the balls of his feet.

**************************

“How do you turn them without the thing falling apart?” Severus demanded. He was very, very frustrated and it was starting to show. 

Remus watched from the hall as Teddy stood on a chair next to the visibly flustered Severus, giving him instructions. The man, like his son, stood there in his night clothes, a baggy t-shirt and pajama pants. 

“Damn,” Severus cursed as he obliterated another pancake with his spatula. Teddy giggled as he offered him a plate full of rejects to put this newest victim on. As he turned, Teddy noticed his father.

“We’re cooking, Daddy!” Severus looked over his shoulder at Remus, more than a bit of flour on his robes.

“I can see that.” Remus came closer, ruffling Teddy’s hair. “What time did you get up?”

“Five thirty-eight,” Teddy replied proudly. “I can tell time,” he said to Severus.

“You should have woken me up and not bothered Severus.” 

Teddy shook his head. “I didn’t bother him. We made a lung potion and then pancakes.” He climbed off the chair and went to his father. “I taught Severus how to make pancakes, but he can’t do it very well. Help him, daddy?” 

Remus glanced at Severus who looked totally lost. It was endearing and something that Remus had never seen before. “I can take over,” Remus said as he walked closer to the dark man. 

“No,” Severus snapped. He was going to master this if it bloody killed him. Severus didn’t much like losing to a bit of batter and a pan. 

“Alright then,” Remus said as he stepped back, utterly amused by Severus’ dedication to pancake making. “We’ll just set the table. Have you got syrup?” 

Severus shook his head. “Honey, molasses, somewhere.” The werewolf just nodded and went about the business of setting the table as Severus cursed under his breath at the pancakes. It struck Remus as more than a little funny in an almost endearing way. Severus hadn’t sent Teddy away, he’d let him stay downstairs and had even obliged to his want of pancakes.

 **”YES**!” Severus had managed to flip a pancake without it falling apart. His excitement was short lived, however, as it was horribly burned. “Damn.” 

Teddy climbed back up on the chair, patting the tall man on the arm. “It’s alright, you’ll get it.”

The look on Severus’ face at that reassurance was priceless. Remus sincerely wished he had a camera.


	4. Tough Life Decisions of a Five Year Old

“Why?” That seemed to be Teddy’s favorite word. He wanted to know why about every bloody thing. No matter how many times the boy asked, though, Lupin never got angry. He simply leaned down to get on the boy’s level and explained. Severus knew that his patience would have run out long ago if someone were pestering him like that, especially a child. He didn’t like that Teddy was downstairs, but somehow he felt more comfortable than if he were upstairs roaming around unattended, charm or no charm. The boy was at least somewhat respectful. He stayed quiet down in the lab and tried to help whenever he could. Lupin kept him out from underfoot, too. 

“Gr… in….” Remus listened to his son trying to read off the ingredients in the book he was brewing from. “Grin….de….” 

“Grindelow,” Severus said from across the room, his tone just a little sharp. He didn’t bother to look up, just kept on brewing as he heard Teddy make an annoyed little noise. “Third shelf up, fourth bottle from the right. Go get it for your father. The blood, it’s orange.” Still he didn’t look up, and this time he had done it because he was a bit annoyed with himself. Why had he felt the need to soothe the child’s feelings with a task to do? He watched out of the corner of his eye as Teddy counted up then over, checking his hands to see which one made the L so he got his right from his left correct. Miracle of miracles, he managed to actually get the right one and Severus felt something near pride in it. 

_Stupid, it’s not yours to be proud of._ He concentrated on what he was doing, vowing to keep his nose out of whatever it was the Lupins were doing. It wasn’t his business, nor his concern. 

“I decided something,” Teddy told his father softly. 

“Have you,” Remus asked with a finger over his lips and a nod to Severus. Remus always worried that Snape’s patience would wear out at any moment and they’d be lobbed out on their arses. _So far, though, so good._ Severus seemed to tune them out mostly, which was good because his son hardly ever stopped talking. He got it from Tonks, Remus was sure. 

“Yes. I don’t want to go to school.” The pair had been at Severus’ home nearly three months now. It was getting to the point where summer turned into fall and he’d heard the pair back and forth about going to a local school. Remus had been doing his very best to try to sell the idea to Teddy, but the boy wasn’t buying it for one second. He was polite, though, and did his best to try to reason his way out of it, well as best a five year old can reason anyway. 

“Why’s that,” Remus asked, not looking up at his son. These past three months he’d been sending Teddy to Andromeda’s during the full moon and disappearing to have his transformations. He was sure that the respite was the only reason Severus hadn’t lobbed them out by now. Remus needed to get Teddy in school so he could pick up more brewing. Children were bloody expensive and even with room, board, and his Wolfsbane made, Remus was still struggling financially. 

Severus appreciated the fact that Remus never seemed to argue with his son. All he did was listen and comment. It was a strange sort of back and forth, one that he’d never seen a parent have with a child. Severus knew that he’d have jumped into an argument with Teddy, but not Lupin. That man had more patience than anyone Severus had ever known and it was infuriating. Sometimes he just wanted him to stop being so bloody calm, so bloody perfect. 

“Because I learn lots of stuff here with you and Sev-er-us.” Three months later and the boy still fought to get his name out. 

“I’m glad,” Remus acknowledged. Severus noted that Remus spoke like a spy himself. It was quite amusing, actually, to watch Remus dodge the actual meat of the question by simply acknowledging and moving on. He never agreed or disagreed in situations like this, something that was near impossible to do in Severus’ experience.

“Yeah,” Teddy nodded. “I can be your helper.” Severus looked up, catching Remus’ eye. There was going to be a tantrum when Lupin told him no and Severus didn’t want it happening while they were brewing. 

Remus put his work on hold and took his son by the hand. “Let’s go upstairs and talk,” he told the boy. Being the curious (ok nosey) man that he was, Severus listened intently while Remus attempted to reason with the boy. He would be six soon, he needed to go to school. Teddy countered with a very simple ‘so what’. Remus continued that all children should go to school to learn, that he wasn’t an expert on all the things that Teddy would need to know. The boy countered with ‘but you’re really smart, Daddy.’ _Good thinking, play to his ego,_ Severus thought. The kid had some debate skills and Severus was sure Remus was kicking himself in the arse at this very moment for being so damn chatty with the boy. 

Teddy started to get loud and, as was Remus’ practice during tantrums, he put up a silencing spell so that Severus wouldn’t be disturbed. When Lupin came down forty-five minutes later he looked exhausted and annoyed and Teddy was nowhere to be seen. 

“You are too indulgent,” Severus told him without looking up. 

“Thank you for your insight.” Remus went back to his potion, trying to ignore Severus. His temper had been frayed by the argument with Teddy and he just wanted to brew something useful so that he could say that he’d done something other than make his son cry today. 

“You always indulge his curiosity and spend too much time with him while he tantrums. A sharp smack on the arse would work better.” Severus thought nothing of it. Parents spanked their children, it was a fact. It was actually a fact that Severus was well aware of, though his experience had been a bit more than an occasional spanking.

“And how did the beatings work out for you, Severus?” Remus snapped. His eyes narrowed and he could almost feel the hairs on the back of his neck stand up with rage. How dare he suggest laying a hand on his son? Remus felt his family was under attack and his killer instincts kicked in. “I noticed,” he told Severus cryptically, “did his hitting you make you a better man?” He’d gotten closer to Severus, anger dripping from every pore.

“Get. Out.” Severus’ head was down, his hair in his eyes. Every muscle in his body was strung so tightly that they might snap at any moment. “Now.” He was moments from throwing things. Severus tried his best not to think of his father. Ever. The man was more loathed to Severus than The Dark Lord. 

Remus seemed to sense that Severus was ready to blow up and retreated, sure that he’d made his point to the man. He did, however, give the door a good slam on his way out just to drive the point home. 

Severus stood over his cauldron, seething. How dare Remus bring up his father? How dare he even compare a smack on the arse to the daily beatings Severus had endured as a boy? 

His entire sense of concentration was broken and the potion in front of him started to curdle. He hurled the whole thing at the sink in the back, the clang of metal on metal echoing through the house as he gave up on brewing in favor of a nice, stiff drink.

*************************

He had long ago cast a silencing spell on the upstairs. He didn’t want to hear or even acknowledge Remus Bloody Lupin or his spawn. He gave up brewing for the night and retreated to his desk in the corner with a bottle of scotch, a glass, and a copy of _Potions Innovations Quarterly_. Of course he wasn’t able to concentrate on what he was reading, but he needed the pretense to fool himself into thinking that Remus’ words hadn’t affected him as deeply as they had.

It didn’t work, though. It never did when it came to thoughts of Tobias Snape. 

If he hadn’t silenced the door, he would have heard the creak and the footsteps on the stairs. He didn’t though, and Severus nearly jumped out of his skin when Remus touched his shoulder. 

“I’m sorry, I thought you’d heard me coming.” Remus withdrew his hand, surprised that he’d managed to sneak up on the man. Clearly his words had hurt Severus more than he thought they had. 

“Clearly I didn’t,” Severus snapped, slamming his glass down so hard scotch spilled. Now he was doubly angry… and drunk. 

“What do you want, Lupin,” Severus sneered, getting shakily to his feet. Remus noticed, his eyes noting the nearly empty bottle and the stench of scotch strong on Severus’ breath. It wasn’t worth talking to him if he’d been drinking. It would only lead to another fight. 

He tried another tactic instead. He couldn’t leave Severus down here with just self-pity and a bottle. It just didn’t seem right. “I came to see if you wanted your plate. It’s after nine.” He kept his distance, but stayed close enough to catch Severus. The man was tottering a bit on his feet and Remus was concerned he was going to go over at any moment. 

“I’ve eaten,” Severus lied as he pushed past Remus to stalk to his cauldrons. His stalking was more than a little stilted, though, as he fought to get his feet to work with him. He’d had far more than he’d intended, which always happened when it came to his father’s memory. Decades later and he could still feel the man sneaking up behind him, the way that his fingers dug into his skin so hard that he could actually feel his flesh bruising. 

“I don’t think you’re in any condition to be brewing, Severus.” Remus knew that it was going to be a fight, but wasn’t about to let the man work on some noxious concoction whilst six sheets to the wind. Remus stepped closer, not even wanting Severus to pick up a knife to chop ingredients. 

“I don’t believe that you get to tell me what I can and cannot do.” Severus turned too quickly and faltered, tipping over a bottle of dragon’s blood. Both Severus and the bottle would have hit the floor if it weren’t for Remus’ quick reflexes. Severus looked up at him, clearly trying to figure out why it was that Remus’ arm was around his waist and the other hand was gripping the vial of blood he’d just been touching. 

“I really think you shouldn’t be brewing, Severus. You’re drunk.” Remus put Severus back on his feet, but didn’t totally release him. Truly, could even a mention of Severus’ father do this to him? Remus had imagined the man was awful, but this reaction was so severe that it made him wonder.

“Stop,” Severus snapped, wrenching his arm back from Remus’ grip. “Stop looking at me like that, damn you.” 

“I’m not … I mean.” Remus knew exactly what Severus meant. 

“I can see it. I can feel it in your eyes.” The dark man leaned forward, nearly in Remus’ face. “My life is not for your amusement, wolf.” 

“Severus, you’re over reacting.” He’d let the sorrow he’d felt for young Severus show on his face and the man had clearly construed it for something else. “I don’t think that at all. I am sorry for what he did.” He didn’t expect the reaction he got, which was a stirring rod whipped at his face. Remus ducked and heard the rod hit the wall behind his head. 

“Whoa… Severus.” Long, stained fingers were going for an empty cauldron and Remus didn’t really have a choice. He grabbed Severus’ arm and yanked him away from the table. “STOP.” 

“Fuck you,” Severus spat at Remus, his face screwed up into a mask of pure hatred as he struggled to get away from him. Remus’ grasp, though, was iron. He eventually gave up, his eyes burning hotter and with more hatred than Remus had ever seen. Even Sirius hadn’t looked at Peter like this in the shack. He didn’t break eye contact with Severus, knowing that showing any weakness to the other man right now, even blinking would be seen as an opportunity. Severus really was more animalistic than he realized. Slowly, waiting for Severus’ fire to burn itself out a little, he released his arm. 

“Do not throw things at me,” Remus said, not realizing he was using the same voice with Severus that he used with Teddy when the boy was naughty. “I was harsh with you earlier. I never should have mentioned your father as, clearly, he is a sore subject.” Remus’ voice stayed low and calm, but he was very no nonsense. 

Severus didn’t speak, but he didn’t look away either. “I would like you to come upstairs and eat some dinner, Severus.” Remus saw that Severus was reacting with less rage when he was firm but calm, so he kept it that way. 

“Is he in bed?” Severus asked. He rarely referred to Teddy by name, but Remus knew exactly to whom he was referring.

“He is,” Remus nodded, not quite sure why his son was being brought into this.

Severus turned toward the stairs, carefully walking. He wouldn’t have gone up if Teddy were still awake. He didn’t want the boy to see him like this. It mattered to Severus that Teddy didn’t know about this. He couldn’t figure out why, only that it did. Very much so. 

Remus walked behind Severus to ensure that the man didn’t lose his balance and fall once more. They moved silently into the kitchen, Severus sitting at the table, Remus getting a plate for Severus. He set it down in front of him with silverware and a glass of milk and some bread. The man needed something to neutralize the liquor.

“Thank you.” It was barely audible. Remus could see that Severus was embarrassed and simply nodded, taking a seat next to the man. The only sound for several minutes was that of the fork on the plate. Severus had never had someone bodily stop one of his tantrums before. It was surprising, but not entirely terrible. He didn’t understand why Remus hadn’t just left like everyone else did when he got like that. 

“I should not have thrown the stirring rod at you.” He couldn’t quite bring himself to apologize, but nor could he stay silent, so he found some middle ground he was comfortable with. 

“I am very sensitive when it comes to Teddy and how I raise him. I was wrong to use something so personal as your father in a moment of anger, Severus.” Remus reached out to take a piece of bread so he could slowly shred and eat it. 

“I don’t think about him often. This is what happens when I do.” It was easily the most he’d said about his father to anyone other than Lily. It felt strange, but not entirely horrible. He was sure it was because he was drunk, though. He’d regret discussing it with Remus come light of day. 

“How long has he been gone,” Remus asked softly. 

“Since my seventh year,” Severus told him, not looking at the man. 

“Is your mother still around?” Severus shook his head, feeling the familiar pang of loss that always came with the mention of his mother. 

“I’m sorry.” 

“As am I,” Severus replied softly. “She was a saint.” 

Remus smiled softly. “I’m sure she was an exceptional woman. She raised an exceptional son.” He was quiet in his compliment, truly meaning it though. No matter how dour, sour, or downright rude Severus could be, he _was _an exceptional man. What he’d done for their side, how he’d sacrificed decades of his life for Lily’s memory, for all he’d been through, he was one of a kind.__

Severus looked up at Remus, trying to find the humor in Remus eyes. He was making fun of him, surely he was. There was, though, nothing but sincerity in Remus’ warm honey colored eyes. It confused the hell out of Severus. 

“Thank you.” It was nearly a whisper. “I agree with the first part.” He never could take a compliment well, not that he often got them. 

Remus rolled his eyes and put another slice of bread on Severus’ plate. “We can have different opinions. Teddy agrees with me, though. He likes you a great deal.”

Severus nodded. “He is as kind as his father, and as blind, it seems.” 

Remus laughed, surprising the hell out of Severus. “I’ll take it,” Remus said as he stood to get Severus another serving of carrots and some more milk. 

“Teddy wanted to know if you would eat with us tomorrow night. He’s been asking since we all had breakfast together that morning. He really enjoys your company, as do I.” Severus blinked up at the man as the carrots were being slid onto his plate. 

“Ok.”


	5. No Rest for the Wicked

Remus stayed up with Severus until nearly one so he could sober up a bit more. They simply sat in an amicable silence, Remus sketching something, and Severus attempting to organize their work for tomorrow. His mind wasn’t 100%, but he was still capable of making lists. 

“Would you want to give this kidney potion a try,” Severus asked Remus as he handed the man the open potions text. Remus laid down his sketchbook and perused the potion. It was more complicated than the potions Severus had been having him brew, but not out of his range of cabality. He also knew that this kind of potion paid quite a bit more than the burn salve he’d been working on just yesterday. It was amazing that Severus was allowing him it, and Remus recognized it for what it was. An apology. 

“I can give it a try,” he nodded. Remus laid one of his sketches in the book to hold his place and closed it. “However, I do think that I need to turn in for the night.” Neither had mentioned that they both knew they were waiting for Severus to sober up enough to go to sleep. It seemed to Remus that that had happened, so it was time to put his tired, werewolf butt to sleep. 

“Good night, then,” Severus said as he turned his attention back to his list. He pretended as though he wasn’t watching Remus gather up his things and head for the stairs. He was still trying to figure this bloody man out. He made no sense and it bothered Severus. 

Remus took his time, not really wanting to leave this strange peace that they seemed to have fallen into. He had to head upstairs, though, taking them slowly as his bones were aching, getting ready for the change. 

Severus followed Remus upstairs about a half hour later when their plan for tomorrow was laid out. He laid their work out on the kitchen table and went to his room, looking around in dismay. He hadn’t had time to clean or do laundry, and his room looked roughly like the sixth year Slytherin boy’s dorm. It was in a sad state. It was better since Remus had come, but it still was nowhere near good. Between the two of them, they were just getting their heads above water, but it was still a struggle to catch up and he usually fell into bed late at night, too exhausted to do anything other than throw his clothes on the chair. 

Severus stripped off most of his clothes and was actually down to just an undershirt and slacks when he heard the scream. He grabbed his wand and was in the boy’s room in mere moments. Remus had beaten him there, dressed in a t-shirt and boxers. The boy was shaking and crying, and Remus was gently trying to wake him up, rocking Teddy in his arms. 

“What’s wrong? What’s happened?” Severus was stills searching the room, trying to figure out what had made Teddy scream like _that_. It was a horrible sort of gut-wrenching scream that had real emotion behind it, real fear and real sorrow. 

“He’s having a nightmare,” Remus told Severus, still stroking his son’s back, trying to rouse him.

“Jesus Christ. That scream,” he said to Remus, brows knitted together. Remus’ mouth opened to respond just as the boy shuddered and his eyes started to open. 

“Daddy!” The boy threw himself at Remus, clutching on for dear life. Severus found himself transfixed by the sight. The way that Remus threw everything into caring for the boy, making him feel safe and protected, was amazing. It struck a cord deep in Severus. There was a strong twinge of jealousy that he had to swallow back, though. His mother had been a saint, but she had hardly ever been able to do that for him, and God KNEW his father didn’t. He found that he missed her quite deeply in that moment. Instead of leaving the pair, as he knew he should have, Severus pressed himself up against the wall and watched. 

“Shhhhh… it was a dream, Teddy. You’re safe.” Remus pushed the boy’s hair from his face, stroking his forehead gently. Severus could see the scars on the man’s skin quite clearly. They were mostly straight, silvery lines on his arms, but the ones on his legs wound around like the beast had been trying to gut itself. It was distressing and Severus had to put the image of what it was Remus turned into once a month out of his mind. He wasn’t that creature now. It was the first time that he’d really separated the beast from the man in his mind. 

“It was Tonks,” Teddy told Remus. Funny, Severus thought, that the boy called her that. He didn’t suppose ‘mother’ had much meaning to him, though. “She was with the monsters,” Teddy sobbed. “They were holding her and she… she…. She….” He seemed to be stuck in a loop and Severus wanted to demand what it was that Tonks was doing in his dream. He barely held himself back from saying something before the boy continued. “She wouldn’t come to me no matter how many times I called for her.” The boy broke down, great sobs coming from deep down. It was too intimate and Severus knew that he was intruding. He couldn’t really leave, though, without drawing attention to himself. 

Remus softly rocked his son, just letting him cry for a bit. He rubbed his back, cooing softly in his ear. Severus had to look away. It made his chest ache in the strangest way to watch this scene and he didn’t like it. No, he didn’t like it in the least. 

The dream was one that Teddy had frequently, and the meaning was relatively clear. “You know that no one is keeping her away from you, Teddy.” The child had been told from the start how his mother died and what death meant. He didn’t want him to misunderstand with platitudes like: ‘she’s gone.’ Yes, she was, but Remus needed his son to understand that she wasn’t coming back. It seemed that he got that on a surface level, but the dream said that his heart didn’t quite believe him. Remus kissed the boy’s forehead, closing his eyes a second. Suddenly Remus looked every day his age and then some. Severus realized all at once how painful this must be for the man and forced himself to look away once more.

“She wanted to stay, Teddy. She couldn’t, though. You know that she died trying to protect you and everyone else at Hogwarts.” He ran his fingers through his son’s hair. “She lives inside you, Teddy. In everything you do, Tonks is there.” His fingers tilted Teddy’s face up so that the boy would look at him. “And I know that she would be very proud of you. She would love that you have her gift.” The boy smiled a little at that. Clearly that link to Tonks meant a great deal to him. “She loved you very much.” Severus respected the fact that Remus didn’t lie to the boy, nor did he engage in useless platitudes. She was gone; the boy knew that. She loved him; the boy knew that, too. 

Remus looked up from his son, catching Severus’ gaze. The dark man was frozen there, wand out, ready to attack whatever it was that had been hurting Teddy. That meant the world to him that he could trust Severus with his son, that it was now clear that Severus would charge in to make sure Teddy was safe. He gave Severus a tiny, appreciative smile before turning his attention back to his son. That was the moment that Severus managed to finally slip from Teddy’s room and go back to his own. 

He was wide-awake now, so he took the opportunity to straighten up his room. His rooms at Hogwarts had always been impeccable. Since he’d come here, though, he’d relaxed a touch and wasn’t quite so stringent about his personal space being perfect. Only two places in the house were still kept with military-like precision, his lab and his bookshelves. 

He turned to put away a set of robes and caught sight of Remus standing in his door. He’d slipped on a robe, but was still barelegged, and Severus’ eyes traced the patchwork of scars that ran up the man’s calves. “Christ, Lupin. Don’t sneak up on me.” Somehow his wand had found its way out and into his hand without realizing it. Instinct, he supposed. 

“I only just came. I didn’t mean to startle you. I just….” He shifted form foot to foot as though he were nervous. 

“Out with it, Lupin. It’s late and I’m tired,” Severus snapped. He crossed his arms tightly over his chest, leveling the other man with a sharp stare. He didn’t understand what it was that had happened in the other room. At times when Severus didn’t, or couldn’t, understand, that aggression came out. 

“….. I wanted to thank you.” 

Severus’ brow knitted as he tried to determine what the hell it was Remus was thanking him for. 

“I know that if something were to happen and Teddy were to be in real danger that you would not think twice about saving my son.” Remus wrung his hands a moment, clearly a bit overwhelmed. “It is a comfort to know that.”

Severus was honestly at a loss for words, so he just nodded, staring at Lupin. 

They stood there, staring at each other for a few moments before Remus bid Severus a good night and headed to his own room, neither man getting a moment’s rest.


	6. No.  Just.... No.

“Did you know Tonks,” Teddy asked Severus. He was out in the garden harvesting herbs when the boy came out to find him. He turned to look up at the child, surprised that he hadn’t heard him coming. Must be a Lupin trait, he thought.

“I did,” Severus nodded before going back to his harvesting. It would be difficult to be kind, as he hadn’t really cared for Tonks.

“Were you in The Order of the Phoenix with her and Daddy?” Teddy came to sit on a stump near the garden that Severus had been meaning to dig up.

“I was,” he nodded.

“Was she really clumsy like Harry says?” The boy’s name… man now, Severus supposed, didn’t bring about the pain it once had. Once he’d paid his life debt to James Potter and had done all he could for Lily’s boy, he’d come to a sort of understanding about it all. He had loved her, did love her, but he could no longer allow his life to revolve around her. It had been painful at first, difficult to find his footing as he attempted to start a new life after the war. He’d done it, though. 

“I am certain Mr. Potter grossly understated the level of clumsiness your mother was in command of.” Teddy looked at him, clearly not understanding what he’d said. 

“She was dead clumsy,” Severus said as he came to sit on his heels and look at Teddy. “She was in one of my first potion’s classes and she blew up the lab quite regularly.” 

Teddy laughed, clapping his hands in appreciation. “She did? How!?” He wanted to know and had a huge grin plastered across his face. Severus sighed. 

“Quite often.” He beckoned the boy closer and drew up his right sleeve. He pointed out a faded burn scar in the shape of a star. “She slipped too much star anise into a brew once and it exploded.” Severus had been too busy taking care of the students who had been burned to really notice that the spatter had caught him and burned through his robes. 

Teddy walked over to look at the scar and reached out to touch it in total wonder. “Did she say sorry,” Teddy asked, concerned that Severus had been hurt. 

Severus nodded, pulling his sleeve down. “She did. Many times.” 

Teddy nodded resoluoutly. “Daddy says that you should always say you’re sorry when you hurt someone.” 

Severus nodded, turning back to his garden. “You should only apologize if you actually mean it.” Teddy dropped to his knees next to Severus and waited to be told what to do to help. Severus ignored him for a few minutes, seeing how long the boy could sit there without direction. It turned out that he’d underestimated the boy’s resolve to stay outside with him. 

“See these,” he told the boy as he pointed out a bright purple flower. “Pick only the flowers.” They were tiny and Teddy had smaller fingers. It only stood to reason that he could be put to work, after all. It didn’t hurt that Severus was coming to not loathe the boy’s presence. In actuality, he liked the boy. He wouldn’t say it aloud or show it readily, but he did. 

“The flowers are very delicate, though. So be careful not to crush them when you pick them.” Teddy listened carefully, nodding along the way. He demonstrated his skill to Severus and when the man nodded at his first flower, Teddy set to work. 

They worked next to each other for a few hours, not really talking much. Sometimes Teddy would ask a question and Severus would answer it, but mostly it was just quiet work as the mid-summer sun rose over them. While the boy seemed to constantly talk to Remus, he knew that when he was alone with Severus, he would have to stay calm and quiet if he’d like to continue being near him. 

Once it was midday, Severus decided that it was time to take a bit of a break. He got to his feet, groaning a bit as he watched Teddy practically spring up. “I’m so hungry,” Teddy told Severus as he bent to gather the morning’s bounty. 

“Bring the plants down to your father to sort and put away. I’ll make you lunch.” He figured that the child deserved a decent meal for working as hard as he had and not talking off Severus’ ear with inane babble.

Teddy nodded and carefully headed to the house with their ingredients as Severus cleaned up their tools and headed inside. He went to the loo to wash up and was annoyed to find that what he’d thought was sweat dampening his shirt was actually blood. “Damn it.” 

Sometimes when he over did things physically or drank too much, both of which he’d done in the last day, the old wound at his throat would open up and bleed. He’d just pulled off his shirt when he saw Lupin in the mirror behind him. 

“What’s happened?” He had smelled the blood the moment Severus came in the house. He put Teddy to work and headed upstairs to check on the man.

“It just happens,” he told Remus. He watched Lupin look at him, knowing that he must find him utterly repulsive.

“This long after,” Remus asked softly as he stepped into the bathroom and closed the door. “Gods, Severus. I had no idea.” 

“Nor would you were you not a bloodhound.” He tried not to think about how repulsive Remus must find him and just tried to staunch the flow of blood with his already ruined shirt. 

“Here.” Remus pulled the shirt away, holding Severus’ hand still as he examined it. “It’s never really healed, has it?” 

“Brilliant deduction, Lupin. Now go into the cabinet behind you and fetch the salve on the top shelf.” Remus did as he was told, keeping it in his palm, he continued to hold Severus’ other hand in his, staring at the wound once more. 

“Stop.” Severus was more than a little annoyed and snatched the salve from Remus. His skin was turning a bit ashen, so he hurried to apply the salve, which would help the blood clot. 

He had to step to the side so Remus could wet down a flannel with warm water, and before Severus could do anything about it, Remus had him trapped between the counter and himself, gently cleaning the blood off. The man was so careful it surprised Severus. He was stuck there and knew that bitching at him wouldn’t get the werewolf to stop, so he just kept his mouth shut and tried not to shiver when Remus touched him. 

He hated to admit it, but it felt good. R emus’ warm hand holding his shoulder firmly while his other hand gently cleaned up the blood was the most physical contact Severus had had in at least two years. “What made it bleed?” Remus asked as he washed out the rag. Pink streams slid from the cloth and swirled around the drain. Remus wrung out the fabric and stood there, waiting for an answer as he brought the cloth back up to Severus’ neck. 

“It happens when I over tax my system. It’s rarer now than it was.” Why he was telling Remus this was beyond him, but there had been a period where he had had to have his throat wrapped every day and keep blood fortifying potions on hand at all times. He prayed it would never revert to that. 

“Bezoar,” Remus asked Severus. The man nodded.

“Occam's Razor.” Remus looked confused and Severus sighed deeply before explaining. “The simplest solution is usually the right one.” 

Remus gave Severus half a smile before squeezing his shoulder. “It’s stopped,” he told the man. Remus let the cloth drop down the length of Severus’ body. Just the edge of it skated across Severus’ bare chest, goose flesh following in its wake. 

“…” Severus was at a loss for words, so he just nodded and went to move past Remus. He was stopped, though, by the man’s hand wrapping around his wrist. Severus’ whole body reacted to those fingers with little jolts of want radiating from where Remus’ hand touched his bare skin. “You’ve still….” Remus brought his fingers up to Severus’ jaw so he could wipe away a final spot of blood. Severus was frozen there, barely drawing a breath until Remus’ fingers dropped. 

“Got it,” Remus told him softly, a little smile on his face making him look far too boyish for his age. 

Severus just nodded curtly and said a clipped “thank you” before retreating upstairs to his room. 

He closed the door as though a wild animal was chasing him. “No,” he told himself plainly. “No, no, no, no, no, no, no.” He pulled on a shirt and robes, pulling his hair back in case his throat started bleeding again. Getting blood out of one’s hair was a dreadfully hard thing to do. “No.” He looked at himself in the mirror, holding his own gaze. He was ashen and the circles under his eyes seemed all the more purple for it. “No.” He knew, though, that it was too late for no.


	7. Upper Hand

“No.” There was no anger, only a deep resolve in his voice. 

“It’s not open for discussion, Teddy. You will go to school tomorrow and there will be no further arguments.” Lupin was exhausted and sick to death of having the same discussion with his son on what seemed like a daily basis. 

“I want to stay here, though. I don’t need school. I’m going to be a brewer when I grow up. You and Severus can teach me that. Daddy,” he said making the best puppy dog face he could muster, “Don’t make me go.” The boy was sticking out his bottom lip and Severus had to give him credit. He looked utterly pathetic. 

“You are going and that is final, Theodore.” Severus hadn’t ever heard Remus get annoyed with his son. It _was_ clear, though, that he was rapidly approaching his wit’s end. 

He cleared his throat, drawing the attention of both Lupins. Remus shot him a ‘go for it’ look and Severus turned to Teddy. “I’m to understand that you wish to brew when you are an adult?” Teddy nodded. “Well….” He took a sip of his tea, finding the way that Teddy seemed to be chomping at the bit more than a little amusing. He was hanging on his every word, clearly thinking Severus on his side. 

“IF you wish to be anything more than a simple apprentice sweeping floors in a shop, you must go to school. There are courses to attend and certifications to be gained.” He watched the boy seem to mull it over. “And I cannot abide an uneducated person in my lab. I will allow you to continue to observe only if you begin your education.” 

The weight of it seemed to hit Teddy hardest, though Remus was a bit shocked, too. It was clear that both of them knew he meant business and would follow through on his threat. Two pairs of identical eyes stared at him and he waited. Teddy blinked first, then nodded. Remus watched in utter shock. It had worked. In three minutes Severus had gotten his son to agree to what three months of Remus fighting with him had not. 

“Will you give me lessons?” The boy was clearly attempting to get what he could out of the situation, given that he was going to have to attend school now. 

“So long as you attend classes and earn good marks. You must behave for your father as well. Then, and only then, will I give you a one hour lesson each week.” What was one hour, really? It was nothing and if it would make their lives easier, then so be it. Anyway, he spent at least that long working on potions with him each week as it was. Besides, now he could get some honest work out of the boy. It was a win-win-win. 

Teddy stood up, abandoning the toys he’d been playing with on the floor of Severus’ sitting room. He seemed to be sizing the man up. “Will you let me brew?” 

“When you prove that you’re ready.” Severus didn’t move from his seat, didn’t even put down the book he’d been reading. He felt Remus staring at him in utter shock. Good, he thought. It’s about damn time I had the upper hand in this situation. 

“Will you let me chop stuff,” Teddy asked as he leaned against the side of Severus’ chair, insinuating his head between Severus and the book he was reading. 

“If it’s necessary.” He didn’t take his eyes from the book and continued to read around the boy’s mop of dark blonde hair. 

“Two hours,” Teddy said, clearly having learned a bit from living with Severus for four months. Remus was shocked that the boy would push it, but Severus found himself amused. 

“An hour and a half,” Severus replied, finally dropping the book to look at Teddy. “And that’s my final offer.” 

Teddy stuck his hand out to take Severus’. “Deal.” The Potions’ Master’s hand engulfed the boy’s and Remus found it quite astonishing. There was a strange moment being shared by the two of them and Remus felt almost like an intruder. 

“Now wash up for bed. You are going to have to rise early for school tomorrow.” Severus went back to reading as Teddy headed for the stairs, not quite sure how it was that he wound up having to go to school tomorrow.

“Toys,” Severus said, knowing he was pushing his luck. Teddy, though, headed back and cleaned up without a word. The other Lupin was dumbstruck. Remus mutely got to his feet to follow his son upstairs, not understanding what it was that he’d just witnessed.

*************************

With Teddy settled in, Remus came downstairs to find Severus still reading. He behaved as though he hadn’t just convinced the almost seven year old to go to school with a simple barter. Remus stood by the stairs, sort of looking at Severus with a confused wrinkle to his brow. He was trying desperately to figure the man out. It was a futile endeavor, that he knew, but it hardly mattered. Severus had helped him, which confused Remus even more. Wasn’t this the man who had outed him as a werewolf and put him on the path to poverty once more? 

“What,” Severus didn’t look up.

“Thank you?” There was a question in Remus’ voice. He really didn’t quite know what to say. 

“You’re welcome.” Severus put the book down, sliding an old bit of ribbon he used as a placeholder into it. “Why are you looking at me as though I’ve grown a second head, Lupin?” 

The werewolf came in and sat down, shaking his head. “Not to look a gift horse in the mouth, but why would you offer him lessons? You don’t even like children, Severus.” 

Long fingers entwined with each other in Severus’ lap. “It’s simple.” He let Remus fester on that a moment before continuing. “I want a higher level of production out of you. Keeping him occupied with school will give you more time to work, plus his lessons can revolve around whatever we’re brewing. It will hardly be any trouble.” 

Remus nodded. It was a very Slytherin thing to do, but there was something else there that he couldn’t quite put his finger on. It confused Remus and he tried very hard not to let that become too apparent to Severus. It was hard living with a talented occlumens. It sometimes seemed that Severus could read his thoughts with no effort whatsoever. 

“Well… thanks. I didn’t want to argue with him about it anymore. I was ready to give in and home school him.”

“I could tell,” Severus revealed. 

Wait, Remus thought. He saw him struggling and had helped. HE appreciated it, but it was a strange thing for the dark man to do. Remus watched Severus leave, listening to the cellar door close with a little snap. He’d said something before he went, but Remus had been too deep in his thoughts to focus on what it was Severus had said. 

It really wasn’t that strange, Remus thought. The man did little, barely noticeable, things for him and Teddy all the time. The last time he’d gone to the market, Severus came back with a box of sugary cereal, Teddy’s favorite as a matter of fact. He’d claimed that it wound up in his order by mistake. Then there were Severus and Teddy’s times in the garden. He often enlisted the boy to help, putting up with his barrage of questions. And what about the current subscription to The Daily Prophet? Severus didn’t read it, but the man knew that Remus did. Was it possible that Severus actually really liked having them there? 

“No,” Remus told himself with a shake of his head. “… couldn’t be.”


	8. My Teacher Hates Me

“I hate her,” Teddy confessed to Severus quite suddenly. It took him a moment to try to figure out Teddy’s non sequitor. They’d been there just gardening. Severus knew something was wrong, but didn’t pressure Teddy like Remus did. If the child wanted to speak, he would. If he didn’t, then that was fine, too. 

He quirked his brow at the boy to continue, actually a little curious over who this mystery hated woman was. 

“My teacher. She yelled at me,” he told the man as he carefully picked violet buds. 

“Did you deserve it,” Severus asked evenly. Really, did it matter what had happened? No. What mattered was if he deserved the punishment he’d gotten. 

“No,” was Teddy’s immediate response. It was clear to Severus, though, that he was lying. “All I did was use the scissors.”

His time working with the brats at Hogwarts made him quite aware that there was rarely an ‘all I did’ to matters with teachers. They tended to be far more complicated and children did not understand that. 

“…” Teddy turned pink, clearly knowing he’d done something bad. “I cut this,” he said as he reached into the school bag he hadn’t even brought inside. He had come straight to Severus after school, not even telling his father he was upset. He held out some crumpled and otherwise mashed leaves. Severus inspected them then looked at Teddy, a little confused. “I wanted to ask you what they were because she didn’t know.” 

Unbeknownest to the two in the garden, Remus was watching from the porch. He couldn’t hear what was going on, but had known something was upsetting his boy when he walked him home from his first day. Remus assumed Teddy was just upset with him for making him go to school. Clearly, though, that was not the case. Teddy seemed to look for Severus when they came home, heading straight to the garden to talk to him. Remus found a bit of jealousy blooming in his chest. 

“Well, you cut up one of her plants. I presume you did this without her permission?” Teddy nodded solemnly. “Then there’s no need to hate her. You cannot simply hack anything you’d like to bits out of sheer curiosity.” Severus knew how hard that was for himself and could remember what it had been like to be a curious six year old. Of course his father had tried to beat it out of him. Thankfully Teddy had no such concerns. 

Teddy’s lip started to quiver and Severus prayed that he didn’t start to cry. Severus didn’t do well with tears. He much preferred being shouted at or hexed. 

“I did… nut… mean… to…” Teddy burst out in tears, dropping the leaves and stomping at them. “I’m nev… ur… going back…. Not EVER!” He shouted the last at Severus who looked at him sharply. 

“I am happy to discuss this with you, Theodore, but I will not be shouted at.” Not by a six year old at least. “Calm yourself and I will help you. Otherwise I think you should go inside.” He turned back to his gardening and heard the boy sniffing and really starting up. Severus reached into his robes and pulled out a handkerchief. Handing it to Teddy, he looked at the boy. God, he was really crying. There was real regret there, something Severus hadn’t seen, other than in the mirror, in quite some time. 

“… ‘m… sor… reeee….” His shoulders were going up and down as though he were a bird trying to take off. Severus wrinkled his nose, but reached out to pat the boy on the shoulder stiffly. Teddy seemed to take that as his cue to launch himself at Severus and cling onto him like a leech. 

Remus watched, having stopped himself when he saw Teddy start to cry. He’d gone to Severus after all. Clearly there was a reason for it. Remus watched as Teddy threw himself at a very shocked Severus. The man went totally stiff as though he’d never dealt with someone crying or even as though he’d never really been hugged. Remus was about to rescue him when he saw something shocking. 

Severus seemed to change in front of his very eyes. The tension drained out of him and he moved, holding Teddy to him and rubbing his back. Remus didn’t dare move. Snape would spot him and be utterly mortified. He couldn’t do that just when the man had clearly let down many, many walls to let Teddy in. Remus was struck by how deeply Severus seemed to care about his son’s well being. Enough, even, to pull down that carefully constructed façade and let him in.


	9. Jealousy and Hugs

“Can Severus take me to school today,” Teddy asked with a conspiratorial grin on his face. 

Remus looked between the two, trying to figure out what in the hell they were up to. He still hadn’t heard what it was that Teddy had been so upset over yesterday and he didn’t dare ask Severus for fear the man would be utterly embarrassed at being seen so vulnerable by Remus. “I… suppose. If he wants.” 

Severus leveled Teddy with a look and the boy giggled. “Tell him why.” The last thing he needed was Remus thinking that he could pawn off the child on him. 

“Severus is going to help me identify all the plants in my classroom. Mrs. McInerney has bunches and I want to know what they are. Plus, he hlped me dig up a nice new plant for her since I cut up her other one.” In Teddy’s mind, once he gave her that plant, they’d be square. 

“Theodore! You did what?” It was the first he was hearing of this and he was frankly quite annoyed that Severus hadn’t thought it appropriate to let him know his own son had gotten in trouble at school! 

“I cut up her plant. With scissors," he explained quite matter of factly. “Cause I wanted to know what kind it was and I knew Severus would know and she yelled at me and Severus helped me get a new one, so can he bring me to school? Please Daddy?” His plea was barely understood around a mouthful of bacon, but Remus got the gist. 

“I…” Remus looked to Severus who just shrugged, strangely quiet for a man who always seemed to have something smart to say when Remus was at a loss. All he did was stand at the counter with his mug of black coffee like a bat in waiting. “Fine,” Remus said to a cheer from Teddy. The boy jammed another piece of bacon in his mouth and darted out of the room to get ready. 

“Care to fill me in,” Remus asked as he looked questioningly at Snape. The man seemed to consider it before just shrugging and leaving the room. Remus realized then exactly how much trouble he’d be in if Teddy and Severus joined forces in the long term.

***********************************

Remus was uncharacteristicly quiet when Severus returned from taking Teddy to school. As a matter of fact, it wasn’t until lunch that he uttered anything but the most basic of questions he needed answered to get through his potions. 

“Why didn’t you tell me that he got in trouble at school?” Severus seemed to almost breathe a sigh of relief that Remus had finally just come out with it. 

“Because we’d resolved it between the two of us and I have no desire to spend my nights rehashing every conversation I have,” Severus said calmly as he continued to brew. 

“… you should have told me.” He’s my son, after all.” Remus crossed his arms tightly over his chest, clearly angry. 

“Look, Lupin,” Severs said as he put down his knife and actually turned to the man to give him his attention. “I am not your wife. I don’t have to report every conversation Teddy and I have. If you feel that my influence is negative, you know where the door is.” He turned back to his work, letting Remus chew on that a moment. 

He slammed a few things, but kept his mouth shut as he brewed. Remus had never met someone as infuriating as Severus Snape! It was many more minutes before Remus gave up and moved to stand near the man. “I’m jealous,” he told him honestly. Leaning against the wall, he watched Severus carefully for any sign of … well, anything!

“Why in God’s name would you be jealous,” Severus asked. He put their work on hold and gave the man his attention once more. He’d have to stay up tonight to get it done at this rate. Lupin had better get his panties out of their current twist soon. 

“Because Teddy loves you.” It sounded stupid now that he said it aloud. How could he possibly be jealous over his son loving someone? 

“Because he clearly loathes you,” Severus deadpanned. “I’m hungry. Let’s continue this absurd conversation over lunch.” With that, he turned to the stairs, letting Remus decide if he’d follow or not. 

He had their lunch making out by the time the man came upstairs. “I know my son loves me,” Remus told Severus as he helped him assemble sandwiches without thinking. “I know that… it’s just… he comes to you with the things he used to come to me with. 

Severus was close to reminding Remus that he was not his bloody wife and to keep his insecurities to himself. He bit his tongue this time, though, giving him a softer answer. 

“I will gladly redirect him to you if you like. It is quite time consuming to answer all his questions.” Remus understood that part of what Severus was saying was in self defense. He bit his tongue to keep from snapping back. With a breath, he continued. It wasn’t easy to speak with Severus, but he wanted to. He was still trying to figure the man out after all! 

“That’s not it. I don’t want you to redirect him. It’s … he really cares for you, Severus. It’s clear how much he admires you and it’s hard for me.” Remus took their plates to the table while Severus got drinks. 

“Why?” Severus took his seat and looked at Remus as though he were trying to read him. 

“I don’t like sharing my son. I have never really had to,” Remus said, just letting himself speak. The walls were down and Severus could make of that whatever he wanted. “He loves Andromeda, of course, but it’s not the same. I see him loving you… I don’t know…. Differently.” 

There was that word again. Remus threw it about so casually. Severus was shocked at how much it jarred him when Remus was really speaking from the heart. “He says his prayers every night,” Remus continued. “And lately you’ve been in them. And his drawings,” Remus said. "You’re there too.” Remus stood and retrieved one as evidence. He laid it down and Severus looked over three bloated figures. Teddy drew everything as circles and sticks and it took him a moment to figure it out. There was a smaller figure, clearly Teddy. There was another one with scars on his face, clearly Remus. Then there was a third figure in black with an enormous nose. Severus picked up the drawing, looking at it. They were each holding one of Teddy’s hands. Something inside Severus ached as he gingerly held the art. 

“You know what I think,” Remus said softly, touching Severus’ hand. Severus found himself awestruck by the drawing and breathless at Remus’ touch. 

“I think you love him, too.” His voice was soft and he searched Severus’ face. There was no immediate denial or even a stern look of reproach. There was just Severus, totally unguarded for a moment while he looked at Teddy’s picture. Then there was a moment of panic when he stood up, pushing his chair back with a loud scrape. He didn’t know where he was going, but he had to get out of there. His throat was tight and his pulse was racing, but Remus wouldn’t give up Severus’ hand. 

“I saw you hug him, Severus.” Remus said it softly as though to soften the blow of that moment being observed. His thumb stroked Severus’ wrist in an attempt to soothe the man. Instead, though, it sparked something else entirely. 

“You didn’t know what to do at first. Then you relaxed and had this look on your face….” Remus smiled at him, voice soft and rumbly. His grip was warm and hard, and Severus had no clue how to react to any of this. “… it was so serene.” 

Remus was just speaking from his heart, his tone questioning but calm. How had he moved from being angry and jealous to holding hands with Severus, gazing into his black eyes? 

“I’ve never seen you like that,” he continued. “I notice things, Severus. You like having us here and… well, I’m still jealous, but I’m glad he loves you.” 

On sheer impulse, Remus stood and wrapped his arms around Severus, hugging him tightly. Warmth flooded them both as their bodies pressed against each other. There was a deep sort of humid warmth that spoke of something far deeper than simple platonic feelings. Severus could feel Remus’ breath rustling his hair a bit. He didn’t know when, but at some point he relaxed in Remus arms, slowly bringing his own up to embrace the other man. His heart was pounding and he was sure that Remus could feel it. 

“You’re a good man, Severus.” Remus whispered it in his ear softly before withdrawing from the embrace. Severus looked stunned and Remus smiled, finally having Severus at a total loss for what to say. There was no snark, not a drop of anger, just Severus. “Well at least I know hot to stop you from talking,” he joked. “Who knew a little hug could stop Severus Snape in his tracks?”


End file.
